D Gray-Man Hallow: Hollow Within
by Rose of Poison Ivy
Summary: This story takes place after Allen Walker has left the Black Order in order to save his friends and 'family' from his Noah within;Nea Walker. Nea or should I say the Fourteenth, is on his way to fully taking over Allen's body and mind. Can Allen and his new found friend help him tame the raging Noah fighting to rise from within or will Allen lose himself to this Noah's desire?
1. The Pink Haired Stranger

_Author's Note: Hey guys it's me again! I'm back to writing for a while again...I started watching the D. Gray-man series again and I fell in love with what the producers have come up with..its amazing really, Hallow's amazing!_

 _Anyway, pushing all my yapping aside, I came up with this idea and I apparently couldn't stop myself from going on and posting this up...if my grammar and word choice is off please tell me...if my background stories aren't matching up, please yell at me! All-in-all I hope you guys enjoy this just as much as I am writing it! Thanks for stopping by!_

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 _Town's Center...Winter falls.._

She muttered something incoherenly before she stood up, walked a few steps, and then scrambled to his side.

"Come on. Let's get you inside. It's too cold out here."

Allen impulsively reached out and weakly grabbed her hand and tightened his grip, "Cold?"

"Yes, cold." The girl assured and kneeling down before him she carefully helped him to his feet.

...

 _The Pink-haired Stranger-Chapter One..._

Previously on D. Gray-man Hallow...

"We are now in a state of emergency."

"A Noah has been discovered within the HQ...It is currently running toward the East beach with Allen Walker.

At 22:00 we will meet up for an emergency strategy meeting.

At 22:10, All exorcists will be given a mission with no time limit. Due to the situation the Pope will be issuing an imperial order. It will be delived to everyone.

As of now we will be freezing Allen Walker's rights as an exorcist... From here on, he shall be classified as a Noah."

...

Although Allen Walker successfully managed to escape his surprising new enemy; Apocryphos. Allen now must find a way to accept the fact that his once known friends and family; the Black Order, no longer consider him an allie. Now bearing the mysterious identity of the infamous Fourteenth Noah, Nea D. Campbell, Allen enbarkes on yet another mission and this time it's to keep his ego from losing itself within the Fourteenth's strange and persistant Noah memories.

...

 _Location: Unidentified-A month after Allen's Escape from the Black Order..._

 _ **Allen... Allen... Allen it's me Mana... come and find me, Allen... come and find me..**_

Allen awoke suddenly from the nightmare. It'd been less dream than memory and it left him drenched in sweat. He could feel the soaked sheets and thick blankets beneath him.

He laid in a dimly lit room and his head throbbed with pain. He tried to rise, failed and then laid still.

"You're awake," a soft voice whispered from the darkness beside him.

Allen turned to gaze toward the voice, but his eyes failed to focus in the dimness. All he could make out was the silhouette of someone sitting beside his bed.

The Exorcist's throat felt raw and dry, yet he attempted to speak.

"Where...Where am I?"

"Safe," the soft voice replied. "It's warmer in here."

"I was being..followed," he murmured.

"Don't worry," the voice continued in a soothing tone. " You're safe now."

Allen felt a small hand rest gently upon his brow and suddenly felt strangely at ease.

He closed his eyes.

He feared the possibility of having more nightmares, but he couldn't shake off the instant weariness that overtook his entire being.

Soon after, he fell into a deep sleep and strangely dreamt nothing for the very first time; in a long time.

When Allen finally awoke again, he was alone.

He let out a weak and barely audible groan as he slowly struggle to prop himself up on his elbows.

"Safe?" he mumble groggily, rubbing at his eyes as the blurry memory of a voice whispering words of comfort throughout his sleep slowly came back to him.

Allen had no idea whom it had been, but he was awkwardly certain it wasn't the Fourteenth. Someone had eased him to sleep last night though, that was undoubtable.

The words 'safe' and 'warmer' kept coming back to him as proof of the magical act.

He was just beginning to ignore the whole 'unusual doing' when suddenly the only door to the dim room unexpectedly gave a screech as it creeked on its hinges and someone silently walked in.

It was then obvious to him that the owner of the voice had been a girl. One of whom was currently standing at the door examing him from afar; head cocked to the side, face suddenly showing signs of worriness.

"Your awake.." She blurted, walking in and setting a tray atop of the only chair within the room, next to his bed.

It was easy to imply that she probably was here to check in on him and hadn't expected his awakening just yet.

The first thing that Allen noticed was the girl's light pink hair. Which she wore tied into two low ponytails on each side of her head, both of which drapped over her petite shoulders; hanging down just past her waist and hips.

Allen couldn't help but notice the look instantly reminded him of the way Lenalee wore her hair in the past.

He slightly frowned at the thought and then pressed it aside as he urged himself to meet the girl's bright blue gaze.

"How did I..." Allen trailed off as he slowly sat up watching her slightly alerted.

The pink-haired stranger silently observed him though, refusing to say anything else just yet.

What Allen did notice right away though, was the fact that she wasn't from the Black Order apperantly. Her plaid-pleated skirt, thighs-high stockings and a white sleeveless shirt weren't exactly uniform material to be exact.

Although, the white bandages wrapped around her right bicep and the pair of muddy tan, knee-high boots she was currently sporting probably told a different story altogether.

"I found you freezing outside in the rain..." she began, "It seemed like you had no idea it would rain..." she paused then and smiled.

The white-haired teen blinked.

The girl had a remarkably charming smile; in fact, Allen suddenly felt quite captivated by it.

He couldn't help but stare and wonder what her mouth would feel like against his.

The thought was completely unlike himself.

It wasn't until the girl's cheeks gradually turned bight pink at his sudden silence, that Allen noticed he wasn't feeling entirely himself at the moment.

After a few _more_ seconds of silence, he realized how awkwardly he was behaving and immediately cleared his throat. "I-I uh..."

He suddenly had the urge to apologize for his ridiculously uninhibited staring and unexcusable mental thoughts, but he didn't know how or where to beginning.

 _Is this the Fourteenth's doing?_ Allen sweat dropped as he thought silently to himself, hopelessly trying to find a way to drop their current situation.

The girl's smile progressively dropped in the nick of time.

"Er, you must be Allen Walker..from the Black Order?"

"Uh…" Allen wasn't exactly sure _how_ to answer to that, "umm..."

Although his name was indeed still Allen Walker, surprisingly enough, he didn't have any connections with the Black Order anymore.

So instead of answering her question, he let out a weak nervous laugh and self-consciously lifted his right hand to nervously scratch the back of his head.

"I'm Kurami Maxwell..." she went on, completely understanding the reason behind his loss of words.

"Kurami?" Allen echoed, lost in a dazed stupor.

"Yup-" She smiled patiently.

Just then, right before she could say anything else, Timcanpy fluttered into the room and instantly made flight toward an unexpected Allen with a huge foot-long sandwich trailing right behind him. The sandwich hanging limply down from his golden tale.

"Hey! Slow down there little guy! I don't think he's ready to eat that kind of food-" Kurami began, but before she could even finish her warning, the small golem immediately began munching down the hanging sandwich. And within seconds, the entire thing was gone before their very eyes.

Kurami blinked and Allen chuckled.

" _Or_ you can try that too." Kurami said, now chuckling herself at the unexpected event.

As soon as the four-stubby-legged creature had finish gobbling up his meal he made a small, sigh-like sound and then flitted across the room to Kurami; whom stood frozen in place as the small golem hovered above her head until he found a comfortable place to sit.

Kurami giggled as she petted the ping-pong ball sized golem as it swished his tail around, while sitting on top of her head.

Allen was surprised to see Timcanpy react so casual around 'said Kurami'. So instead of sitting there in beweirdment and astonishment, he opt to ask more important questions to his newly found allie.

"Kurami?" Allen called, when all was quiet for a few minutes. "If you don't mind me asking," he paused then and lifted his worried gaze toward the now sitting girl, "how long was I asleep?" He asked. "I'm sure I've-"

"Four days." The pink-haired teenager suddenly blurted. Gently reaching up on top of her head, she slowly took hold of Timcanpy and brought him down to her lap."You've had a fever for four days straight, Allen. You've been here four days and one night."

As she fiddled with the fabric of the sheets on top of his bed, Allen silently wondered what she could be speaking about.

Within a few minutes, Kurami had just explained how she'd found him lying about on the streets of the town's center in the cold and she'd brought him into her home and watched over him while he fought back against a heavy fever for four days straight.

How much time had pasted again? How faraway from home was he now? And more importantly, where exactly had Apocryphos disappeared to? Wasn't he being pursued by him?

After a few moments, Allen tonelessly opt to clearing his throat."Wait hold on a sec." Allen demurred watching her in disbelief. "You said something about 'being able to speak to Nea'. Do you mean you can speak with the Fourteenth?"

Throughout her story she'd said something about how his dreams had been getting worser and worser every night and that she was forced to 'tame' the Fourteenth's memories for a little while.

Kurami's rose-colored hair gave off a subtle shake as she shook her head in affirmation. "Not speak to him directly-but.."

"But what?!" Allen insisted.

"Through you Allen, I can...You see it's a long story...I-I.. I know everything that has happened to you-the Black Order, Apocryphos's disguise as a Cardinal, Tyki Mikk and Road Kamelot's interference...Inspector Howard Link ...Apocryphos desires to merger with your Innocence...Crown Clown..."

"But how-how...who are you?" Allen suddenly demanded. He'd only just met this girl and she already knew so much about him? Who was she working for? Was she with the Order?

"A complete stranger Allen...I've never known of your exsistance up until five nights ago when I found you freezing in the cold..."

"What do you mean you don't know me? Why did you help me?"

"Allen. You asked me to help you...You, yourself let me in.. I've seen Nea in my dreams ever since..."

"What are you a Noah?" Allen sweat dropped as he eyed her suspiciously not knowing what else to say or what else to think.

Although she seem to be as pale as snow in comparison to the darker shade a normal Noah should bear, Allen just couldn't understand how she could know so much about him.

Apparently, the Noah family had recently been taking an awkward liking to poping-up-and-around and lending him a hand lately. So accusing her of being one of them wasn't something too abnormal.

"No, not a Noah, Allen. A Maxwell...You've never heard of the Maxwell 'accident' before, have you? And it's connection to the Black Order? Have you ever met a man whom goes by the name of Bookman?"

Allen's white brows creased at the sound of the extremely familiar name.

"My family members were not Exorcists... They didn't execute Akuma... They manipulated dreams and worked with minds... The Black Order... the Church...eliminated them..."

...To be Continued...

* * *

Author's End-note: Okay so this is my opening. Hope you guys liked it and hope you guy stay tuned for my next update! Sorry if Allen didn't sound like himself you guys, I'm trying my best here! Oh, and for those of you who are crazy-like fans of canon character facts I have a quick question for you guys; Looking down at all the D. Gray-man series, has any information regarding when exactly Lavi became Bookman's apprentice ever been shown? I wanna know when exactly...I do know though that there was someone previously Bookman's apprentice before Lavi...that, I do know. Well that's it for this time guys, till next time! Ciao for now!


	2. Chapter 2: Lost In Between

**Author's Notes:** Hey guys, it's me again, back with Chapter Two: Lost In Between for D. Gray-man Hallow: Hollow Within. Now before I say anything else I'd really just like to thank everyone who's been here waiting on me to update this thingamajig. It **really** means a lot to me, **really**. So yeah, thank you guys really. Not a alot of readers actually stay and follow stories faithfully anymore...

Anyways, as of now I'd like to ask you guys to please excuse Allen's Reminiscences within the story because to be truthful they're not quite stable. Considering the fact that they're not taken from one solid reference but form three different forms; the dubbed, subbed and the manga versions of this anime series are all applied references to this story. So some sayings might be said differently..depending on translations...That being said, happy reading!

* * *

Special thanks to my two lone reviews; **Fox Princess** and **sparklehannah**. Thank you guys for taking your time to give me feedback. I love you guys!

 **Fox Princess:**

Yes. Hopefully I do a good job at growing their relationship together as the story progress... Actually, I have Johnny Gill and the Science Dpt. to thank for the idea of having a character come in from the outside world because the fact that they seemed so determined and so close to Allen got me thinking; what if their was a girl version of Johnny? Oh and also, the idea of making a exorcist OC truly seemed like it's so cliché nowadays haha..

 **sparklehannah:**

Yes. Thank you, thank you, thank you Hannah. If you hadn't extended my knowledge about the collection of light novels than I've would've surely have had a run–in with a plot hole. I've looked at those guys too now and yes, now I've collected important information that will be very much needed for future use as well. So thank you again!

Now on to the story! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 2: Lost In Between..

Allen Walker was speechless as he sat in complete silence in the dimness of the small room in which he'd awaken in.

Apparently, the sizable room consisted of very little lighting, much to Allen's irritation. The few things his curious eyes could barely make out were; a lone wooden chair, a white drawer, one shuttered window, and an oil lamp which currently sat upon the white drawer flickering about in the vast and extremely void eerie silence.

He didn't know if it was the suspense of waking up to unknown surroundings or if it was just Kurami herself, but apparently one of those two had managed to distract him from noticing his astonishingly sore injuries.

Just recently he'd begun feeling the faint pain that kept coming back from the injure on his left lower abdominal.

The injury imposed by Mugen was truly unspeakable. But apparently _someone_ had done a good job at attempting to stop its current effect on him.

The wound had been neatly re-bandaged, but much to his surprise. Nevertheless, blood was already penetrating the bandages, again.

Perhaps Kurami had taken her leave to collect new bandages for it's re-bandaging?

The pretty pinkette had explained to him beforehand that she needed to fitch a few things from downstair's and that when she returned, then afterwards, she would give him answers to all of his questions.

She seemed like a nice person to say the truth, but was she really? Her soft-spoken manner somehow always made Allen feel comfortable and warm inside, but...

If Kurami indeed was the person she seemed to be and meant nothing but good toward him... Was it possible to say that here he was again, going back to square one?

He'd left the Order to keep people with similar feels like her's _safe_.

To keep _those_ people from getting hurt because of him.

And now?

The bluish-purple eyed teen suddenly itched slightly vexed at the thought of the third member of the Noah Family and the final words he addressed to him before he disappeared and left him stranded with Road and a huge Timcanpy a month or so back then...

 _"Say, boy... Which side are you on?...You don't even know your place or what you are...You just spread confusion and conflict... Aren't you the one whose worst... Allen Walker?"_

Allen's hands fisted at his sides as he remembered the words that were most likely true and reality to him at this point.

 _"If you really want to stay an Exorcist, don't go back to the Order...Go settle matters with the_ _ **monster**_ _inside you..."_

The lone silence always brought along a long moment for Allen's mind to start it's constant wandering of the vague memory that still plagued him with nightmares recently.

 _"No matter what happens, I'll always be an Exorcists. Our paths may diverge, but that will never change... I love the Order... the place where you and everyone else are... It is my home... And it'll always be my home!"_

A monster's home?

No. Allen Walker's home.

And he was going to protect it no matter what. Even if he _himself_ is considered the opposing threat. He may not be fit to directly offer protection to any of his friends or family, but that didn't mean he couldn't fine a way to...

No longer wanting to think of the past, Allen let his eyes roam around the small room as he slowly threw off the covers and sat up on the edge of the bed.

He sighed, shutting his eyes trying to will a sudden new pain in his chest to go away. But in response it painfully surged throughout his entire body instead.

Nonetheless, the teen continued his strive to remain seated and ignore his unwanted thoughts altogether.

 _Why is Kurami taking so long?_ he thought, feeling completely off balance.

He needed help, advice-something. Anything.

The room sprung wildly a few times as he attempted to recompose himself. Closing his eyes tighter and forcing body to comply, Allen stilly fought back his uprising light-headedness.

Surely a short walk to the nearest window wasn't something worth tampering with, right?

Once he finally caught his breath, Allen was actually glad when he finally got to his feet and felt what it was like to stand fully upright again.

But just as he was about to make toward the window, the door to the room creaked open and Kurami appeared at the doorway with Timcanpy fluttering right behind her.

Startled by their sudden intrusion, the white-haired boy immediately jumped back and in the process accidentally tripped on the blanket he'd let slip to the ground earlier.

Allen toppled over onto the floor with a loud _thump_.

"Allen!" Kurami cried and immediately setting the things she'd been carrying with her aside, the pinkette raced to the boy's side without any further ado, "Allen, are you alright?!"

"I'm okay! I'm okay!" Allen blurted, not taking the time to apprehended his own words as they came.

The trip had awkwardly left him sprawling on the floor, fiercely rubbing the back of his head as he tried helplessly to stop the pain the fall had just kindly rewarded him with.

"Are you sure?" Kurami asked, looking extremely worried as she leaned over him to examined the bandaged wound on his right bicep, his head and then his abdominal.

"Yes, really. Ha ha, I am okay," Allen reassured, blushing sheepishly.

Kurami smiled and absently covered her mouth to stop herself from giggling.

"Here silly, let's give this a try." she proposed and then reaching inside a small pack holstered around her waist, she drew a red ribbon and waved it before him in amusement.

The tips of Kurami's long pink bangs lightly tickled Allen's neck and clavicle as she worked to draw and tie back his snowy-white hair into a low ponytail at the back of his head.

"That's oughta do it!" she chirped, once she was done and pulling away, she tilted her head to the side studying her work absently.

The pinkette tried not to giggle at Allen's perplexed face as she leaned in once more to adjusted his ponytail's red bowknot one more final time.

"..Thanks for that..." he said politely, once he finally found his voice.

"Yeah—"

"No, really." he paused, smiling reassuringly, "I've often thought of trimming it a few times... Seeing it'd gotten pretty long and all."

Kurami nodded in understanding.

Allen wasn't reluctant to growing out his hair—no, that wasn't the problem.

What did bother him though was; not knowing whether it was his own desire or Nea's desire to keep it long.

 _What would he prefer?_ He thought inwardly, staring into her eyes in the silence.

"Your really shouldn't think that way.." she murmured then, after a long awkward pause.

"Wha-why is that?" Allen asked nervously, completely taken aback by her sudden statement. Her facial expressions just then had almost made her look like she was actually answering his thoughts aloud.

"Never mind." Kurami blurted, impulsively looking away from him and turning her brilliant blue gaze to the floor in an attempt to hide the pink hues the warmth of her pale cheeks was suddenly causing.

Thereafter she instantly decided it was time to get going. So, hooking her arm beneath his left, Kurami slowly helped Allen to his feet and then carefully lead him back to the bed.

"I'm sure eating something will help you regain your strength." she assured, handing him a white bundle of what he assumed were his clothes. She and Timcanpy then exited the room once again to collect what she'd called _equipment_ before.

"Oh, don't put that on yet. I'm going to change your bandages first." The pinkette called from over her shoulder as she slowly backed into the room pulling with her a small cart with—food?

Food!

The smell of miso soap and simmered beef in stew instantly filled the starving Allen's nostrils in one swiftly whiff.

Kurami giggled, watching him as he stared at the cart mouthwatering and starry-eyed.

"I figured you'd react that way after not eating for so long." she smiled, "Here, I'll do your wounds first...They look like a bloody mess already, anyway."

Allen didn't like the idea at first, but the teen gradually compiled.

Pulling the cart inside the small room and closing the door behind it, Kurami made her way over to Allen's bedside. Grabbing the silver tray she'd brought in before from off her chair, she collected a pair of scissors and then a pair of clean bandages.

Twenty minutes later...

Timcanpy hovered over them as they sat in silence while Kurami snapped the neatly wrapped bandages with sharp scissors and skillfully wiped blood from along the edges of every wound.

She wiped and then secured, wrapped and then tied.

By the time she was almost finished, Allen had finally have had enough of Timcanpy's ridiculous little routine. He wasn't quite sure what exactly had brought upon the little creature's strange uneasiness, but for some reason Timcanpy seemed... worried?

"Tim?" Allen called, looking up toward the golden golem still circulating the air a foot above them, "Is something the matter?"

In response, the small ball finally settled on his free shoulder, nestling his cheek in the process.

Allen quirked a brow.

"Tim? Is there something your trying to tell me?"

Timcanpy only snuggled closer, swishing his tail around like a happy dog would.

"Umm, did something happened downstairs... Kurami?" Allen questioned as he moved a hand to the golem and pulled him closer to his neck.

Kurami didn't answer his question right away, instead her eyes seemed strangely settled upon the small white three-drawer dresser and the oil lamp that sat eerily flickering upon it.

"Four nights ago, you couldn't stop repeating the name 'Mana' in your sleep...," she began, taking notice of the way Allen set his jaw and clenched his fists as she mentioned the name, _Mana_.

Kurami wondered distantly if the wounded boy understood exactly _what_ she was going to say. "Sometimes you'd wake up and be shivering in sweat... You'd sit up for hours and stare off into space until I'd come in here and lay you back to sleep..." she paused, her teeth pulling and tugging at rose-colored lips as she silently chose her words carefully. "To say the very least, I'm not allowed to enter someone's dreams without their permission. So entering your's was completely out of the question... But once I noticed a dark aura around you an—and your moments of pain as well... I grew more and more curious to know who exactly had I brought into my home..and more importantly; _what_ was hurting him... When I first asked you for permission, you only ignored me... You'd wake up and lay still with your eyes open and you wouldn't speak a word-"

An expression of bewilderment crossed Allen's face. He was certain he had no memory of it all.

"Wait a sec-" Allen stammered, opening his mouth to continue but unsure as to how he should continue he fell silent.

After a full minute of silence, Kurami started up again.

Apparently, the silence was too much for her, so she began explaining everything again as it'd happened.

"You were trapped in your own mind, Allen. You kept threatening no one in particular and saying you weren't going to _'give up'._. _'That this wasn't going to end like this'_ and sometimes you'd murmur something about _avenging someone's death,_ " Kurami continued, smiling at Tim whom was still snuggling Allen.

She stood next; calmly collecting the bloody bandages and used equipment, she made toward the cart, disposed of them, and then washed her hands in a basin.

Turning her gaze toward Allen again, she strolled the cart closer.

"I found this little bugger in the kitchen one night when I got back from work," she explained, gesturing toward Timcanpy with her chin as she finished up tying the bandages wrapped around his left bicep. "At first I thought he'd flown in through an open window or something, but when I tried to make him leave he'd race to your bedside and flutter over you in circles..."

Allen smiled at this, he knew all too well how far Timcanpy's loyalty had taken them multiple times before.

"He was very protective over you...staying up all night watching me to make sure I wouldn't go anywhere near you... But one night I came back earlier than usual... I found him sitting on your pillow with his mouth open...and I could hear something playing out loud... a projection of someone's voice, I figured..."

 _"So Allen, I've already told Tim to do as he pleases while in your care...I'm sure your reluctant to listen to me now that you know I've be following the wishes of the Fourteenth all this time...but if you think you're being forced to walk a certain path by either of us...well you're needing to know that your mistaken..The path forms behind you as you soil you step on is compressed leaving an imprint of a course you've chosen. You are the only one who can create your own path, Allen. So trust me here... you need to stop wearing Mana's mask. You must chose your own path... If you haven't given up that is..."_

...

Stepping back, Kurami examined Allen; something dark and yet wounded flickered in his innocent-looking eyes at that moment.

He'd been silently listening to her explain everything, when suddenly they heard something completely unexpected.

The golden golem wasn't at Allen's side anymore... the small critter was sitting on his bed, his mouth wide open... Allen had instantly recognized the familiar voice playing aloud as Tim's projection of his master's last recording dreamily played throughout the room.

A message that _truly_ meant something to him.

Only to Allen. Not Nea, only Allen.

Had Timcanpy really been replaying that thing to him while he slept and fought back Nea's uprising?

Allen suddenly felt guilty for having put his little companion through that extremely painful situation. He knew how much Timcanpy missed General Cross. His master... Their master...

"T-Tim?"

Allen stood then and closing the small space between him and the small creature, he crouched down next to him.

"I'm sorry I'm putting you through this... I know it's hard and it's going to getting even harder in the future Tim..." The small golem scarcely gave the boy any time at all to pull away. Reclaiming him last position, Timcanpy nestled Allen's neck affectionately.

"Guys?" Kurami called. Her back facing them, "Come on, dinners ready!"

Allen frown then, he never noticed she had left. And turning toward her he raised his hand in acknowledgment. "We'll finish this talk later, alright?" he whispered.

Allen smiled brilliantly, when the golden golem only zoomed past him in response, heading toward Kurami.

"Hey-wait for me to serve your plate first Tim!"

Tim!

Timcanpy!

Allen watched in amusement at the blue-eyed girl scold and scorned the fluttering creature as he tried endlessly to take a bite out of almost anything and everything, that the astonished girl evidently struggled to serve.

"I'll never be done like this!"

...

They eat dinner in complete silence.

Well, almost complete silence.

Tim apparently couldn't stop wrecking havoc every once in awhile, but they managed in the end. Admittedly, Allen actually learned a few new things about his surprisingly new friend Kurami.

"–Well, when I finally awoke next, I knew I was fully determined to enter your dreams at that moment...So I asked you once more. But this time I tried this,"

The white-haired teen watch with wide eyes as Kurami suddenly fixed her eyes on his and strangely he could feel her inside of himself.

 _Allen?_

The teenaged boy literally jumped at the call and almost fell off his bed, again.

 _Allen.._

He could hear her voice so clearly. He almost thought she'd said his name aloud. But no—her lips hadn't moved.

 _Allen? You can hear me, right?_

Allen hesitated at first. Swallowing audibly, he answered back. _Yes?_

 _Aye!_

Telepathy?

Kurami nodded, smiling at him reassuringly.

 _Relax. Let your mind work on it's own._ She advised. _I can't speak to you for long periods of time like this...mainly this trick works more efficiently while we're in your dreams._ She sent and smiling toward him she went on, _Bookman always scolded me for doing it too often..._

Allen flinched involuntarily when the old man's name was unexpectedly spoken of. He'd almost forgotten his list of questions for her.

 _"My family members were not exorcists... They didn't execute Akuma... They manipulated dreams and worked with minds... The Black Order... Or the Church...eliminated them..."_

Allen suddenly had an urge to ask her about her past—and about her knowledge regarding the Noah Clan and Nea himself but... Upon remembering her sad look and tone from before—when she had been forced to speak about her past. Allen just knew that asking questions about it would probably change the atmosphere.

So seeking to gain at least a few answers, Allen settled upon asking about Bookman and his current pupil, Lavi.

"Umm...Kurami?" The usually polite teen began, "If you don't mind me asking...How did you come to know Bookman? I—I mean, did he-

"Bookman usually came to our house every so often to have tea with my grandfather actually... Although he never truly spent full nights at our compound. It was usually because Grandpa always wanted the old panda to tell him about his world travels and all–"

 _Oi, i almost forgot! Grandpa told me to bring you to him as soon as we were done eating!_ The panicked girl spontaneously sent the abrupt message to him nearly doubling the unexpected Allen over.

"Err...he's probably going to get mad again!"

Boy did he really have to get used to that. The teen frown at the goosebumps crawling about on his arms.

"We have to go...come on!" The pinkette urged as she instantly sprung to her feet.

Frankly, he wasn't always as slow as he was apparently appearing to be today, but he knew answers were much needed at the moment. So asking Kurami a thing or two—or just asking her to slow down a bit, probably wasn't going to be too much of a hassle for her coming from his part if he asked.

"Woah! Aren't **you** getting a bit bigger."

Allen quirked a brow. Shaking himself off his short trance, he turned his attention to the teenaged girl currently bear-hugging Timcanpy.

"Look at you...," she trailed off, playfully squeezing Timcanpy whom evidently seemed to have grown to about the size of a soccer ball.

"It was probably because you ate too much, wasn't it?" she concluded, tugging the stubby golem's face."What did the teddy bear say after dinner?" she teased. "I'm stuffed. I'm stuffed."

All-out amused, Allen took a moment and only watched the funny interaction between the golden critter and his new found friend.

Apparently, it hadn't taken that long for the two to get along rather well.

"You can get dressed in here." Kurami rushed. "Meanwhile, Tim and I will wait for you outside."

She then laughed aloud as Timcanpy sluggishly began fluttering around-and-about the angel-haired teen as if in agreement with her.

Allen only grinned and slowly shook his unbelievingly.

...

Once alone again, it really didn't take Allen that long to find the bundle of clothing Kurami had handed to him earlier that hour.

So slipping off his current clothes in exchange for his previous white dress shirt, white pants, brown gloves, black boots and black halter vest, Allen silently re-adjusted his red tie and leather holster around his neck and lower thigh in slight haste. He knew Kurami had advised him to hurry, but somehow he just knew he needed the lone time. So by the time he was finally through with changing, Allen just sat back down for a second.

Everything appeared to be at peace—but something inside him was just yelling at him for not shaking himself awake.

Where was his monster Noah now? Or what about Apocryphos and his memory invading ability? Would this dream of peace and quiet really last long? Everything just seemed so reposed. He just didn't know what to accept as reality.

A firm knock on the door had him jumping off of bed and scurrying off past the door's threshold.

...

"The gardens are my favorite part of the manor." Kurami explained as she calmly lead the way. "Most of the flowers and plants were actually planted by me. Grandpa's usually always busy, so he leaves the pruning and tending to me."

Allen was surprised when he found out that the gardens were actually indeed rather vast. The white-haired teen silently followed closely behind as Kurami briskly lead them across a beautiful wooden bridge; which arched just above a shallow pond and it's large range of aquatic plants and astonishingly no visible wildlife below.

"My grandfather's quarters are just up ahead. Here, come this way." said Kurami as she continued to lead.

They walked a few yards closer to a rather large and eerie building in which Kurami claimed her grandfather usually always stayed at when unexpectedly the small girl suddenly came to an abrupt halt.

Then, as if summoned forth, immediately the humming wind began playing idly with the soft-pink strands of her hair; tossing them to and forth around her face.

A blithe smile graced her lips as if the girl inwardly already knew what was coming. The pinkette then only raised a finger in the direction she knew the summoning was going to take place...

The scenery was breath taking, Allen could only stand and remain as instantly a colony of colourful butterflies and other insects magically began fluttering about them.

He saw the surface of the water disrupt into ripples as instantly birds and insects alike flew out at random from within the trees about as well.

Nature was suddenly awaking..

...

"We should go now." Kurami announced, after a short while. They'd agreed upon sitting for a while and apparently it hadn't truly done the former exorcist any good.

Allen had been absently lost in his own thoughts about whether or not he should loosen up a little, when Kurami's voice suddenly brought him back to the present. "Grandpa's still waiting." she prompted, and giving his shoulder a light squeeze she stood from her spot, scooped up a sleeping Timcanpy and began to walk ahead again.

Allen watched her for a moment, pondering whether or not he should take this time to ask her more about Nea or not.

But before he even realized what he was meaning to do, without warning, Allen broke into a run and took off past Kurami at top speed.

He had no idea where he was going, but Allen just didn't care at that moment. He just wanted to feel the wind on his face again.

Kurami's jaw dropped as she watched him take off past her—but not too soon after she too sprinted off after him.

...

Gasping, completely out of breath, both Allen and Kurami, slid to a stop just about a few yards away from the building.

Flushing bright red, Kurami took a few deep breaths to try and steady her erratic breathing. Meanwhile, Allen on the other hand took hold of her left shoulder for support as he too struggled against taming his own labored breathing. After taking the minute it took to finally catch their breaths, both of the teens suddenly met each other's gazes right before they lost themselves to fits of laughter.

"That was amazing!" Kurami beamed, grinning at the memory of the adrenaline the run had rewarded her with.

"I'm glad you're not angry at me," Allen responded, a dashing lopsided smirk playing beautifully upon his lips. "You said we needed to reach the building right?" Clearing his throat, he continued, "Running seemed like a good option."

Good great grief, he looked adorable.

Composing her features, Kurami only nodded in affirmation.

"Allen?" her voice sounded faint due to their running. Nonetheless, Allen looked toward her and watched as her teeth tugged and pulled at her bottom one. "Yes?" he asked, a bit mesmerized. "Is that my grandfather?" she blurted, suddenly asking herself aloud.

"What? Who?"

"Over there, up ahead." she continued, slowly beginning her walk again. "Come on, let's go."

"Are you sure that's him?" The angel-haired boy suddenly asked, squinting his eyes as he stared off at the form ahead.

"Mm-hmm." Her blue eyes were endless. "Come on." She urged again.

Allen frowned then and once the figure ahead of them finally came into focus, the boy suddenly felt ill.

Curly, flax brown hair... crimson rimmed glasses...

 _Innocence cannot harm me._

 _Crown Clown also wishes for the two of us to become one for your sake, Allen..._

 **Apocryphos.**

"He's really nice once you get to know him." Kurami assured, smiling warmly as she clasped her hands behind her and continued to lead the way in a much more hurried pace. "He's actually the one that erected the barrier around the house the night I brought you here. He said someone or _something_ was out looking for you—you would say the same thing in your sleep actually.

"Uhh, Kurami?" Allen began, squinting his eyes at the barely visible profile of the man standing a few feet ahead now. "Kurami isn't that–

Unable to finish his question, let alone begin it, Allen was cut short when Kurami suddenly stopped skipping about and nearly caused him to stumble into her.

"Wha–

"Allen?" she voiced, her tone slightly different.

Her smile instantly disappearing.

 _A-Allen, something's wrong..._ Reaching out to tug his arm, the short girl immediately turned her back to him.

Then just like he'd done before, she took off in the direction of the Cardinal standing in the path directly up ahead now.

"No, wait! Kurami!"

 _To be continued..._

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Thanks guys for reading! I'll try and update sooner next time. Please feel free to leave a review/comment if you guys liked this. Sorry but hope the sudden cliffhanger doesn't bug you guys! Till next time, bye!


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